


Family Breakfast

by Elennare



Category: Upstairs Downstairs (1971)
Genre: Episode Related, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-04
Updated: 2012-08-04
Packaged: 2017-11-11 09:36:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/477123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elennare/pseuds/Elennare
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"It is nice to still see Mr Hudson smiling at me over the teapot." Mrs Bridges's thoughts as she cooks. Tag to episode 7 of Season Two, “Your Obedient Servant”. Written for the "breakfast" challenge at fan_flashworks.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Family Breakfast

I do love making breakfast, starting a new day on the right foot with a good meal in our stomachs. I hope today is quieter than yesterday – that was such a whirl I’m still half dazed. Poor Mr Hudson, thinking he’d have to resign, and then Mr Bellamy telling him not to, and Lady Marjorie coming home… I had no time to think at all!  
  
Ah, there’s Mr Hudson now, with his newspaper as usual.  
  
“Good morning, Mr Hudson,” I say, glaring at Ruby so she’ll greet him too. She does, finally.  
  
“Good morning, Mrs Bridges. Good morning, Ruby,” he answers. He sounds happier than usual. I’m not surprised, really – he must have been thinking he’d never get to say that again. It’s not as if he did anything so wrong, either. A man has a right to take his family out, surely, whether he’s servant or master? I’m right glad Mr Bellamy saw it that way. And speaking of Mr Bellamy, he won’t have his porridge the way he likes it if I don’t take it off the stove now!  
  
That was close, but the porridge is just fine. I don’t want to give any cause for complaint, not after that parsley sauce. I’m sure the master wouldn’t have ever thought to send it back on his own, though. No, it was his brother, I’m quite sure of it. I wasn’t sorry to see the back of him, I can tell you. As soon as I heard that he was at the restaurant with Mr Bellamy, I felt quite sure he’d taken him there on purpose. He must have known Mr Hudson would be there, and wanted to shame him. Mr Hudson wouldn’t hear it, but I’m sure, especially after what Mr Bellamy said about his brother after he left. We shan’t see him again in a hurry, I dare say, and we’ll be all the better for it. Oh, there goes the kettle!  
  
“Ruby, start frying the sausages while I brew the tea. Hurry!” Honestly, the girl is that slow, I’m surprised she doesn’t walk backwards! Leave it to her, and I expect we wouldn’t have breakfast until midday.  
  
It’s a rush to get everything ready, but at last we’re sitting down to our own breakfast. Edward’s teasing Violet, as usual. I’d expected Thomas to join in, but he’s just watching and smiling a little. I dare say the poor boy misses Rose. I’m sure he cares about her, whatever Mr Hudson may think. He’s a nice lad, a bit cheeky at times maybe, but his heart’s in the right place.  
  
It is nice to still see Mr Hudson smiling at me over the teapot. Why, to think, if Mr Bellamy hadn’t refused his resignation, I might be seeing a new butler there! It wouldn’t feel right, not at all. Oh, I dare say they’d have got a competent enough fellow, but he wouldn’t know how to stop Edward playing the fool, how to manage the maids, how to keep the household running really smoothly… he wouldn’t be part of us. We’re a family downstairs, as much as they are upstairs. I couldn’t have a proper natter with some new man, it wouldn’t seem right. He wouldn’t – well, he wouldn’t be _Angus_.  
  
There’s no need for all this fretting, though. He’s still here, and so am I, and I dare say we shall be for many more years to come.


End file.
